Fire, Water, War
by Bagatelle
Summary: SMW based. Ten years later, Mario and Peach are married, Luigi is unhappy, and the Koopalings plan to attack...until Roy abandons his siblings. When the Koopa prince shows up in the Mushroom Kingdom, it might prove to be just the boost Luigi needs...
1. A Murder

This is a very old fanfiction of mine (well...from earlier this year) that's finally getting to see the light of day. It's not the best thing I've ever written...in all honesty, I mostly just did it for my own enjoyment...but, it's going to be several chapters long. I just have to type them up. Let me know what you think of it in the meantime.

It's sort of a "what if" story...and I suppose _Illusion_ can be considered the prequel. So, if you liked _Illusion_, you'll probably like this, too.

Happy Christmas Eve, all. Please read and review.

* * *

**Fire, Water, War**

A Super Mario World fanfiction by Bagatelle

**Chapter One**

Ten years post the fall of Bowser's Neon Castle, the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as much of Dinosaur Land, had been living in general peace and harmony. Bowser, crushed and humiliated by his defeat, became a recluse after his tragic loss, and he and the seven Koopalings retired miserably to a life underground in the once-again forbidden Valley of Bowser. As the years passed, too fraught with shame to re-attempt a kidnapping of Princess Toadstool, Bowser became old and frail from a lack of exercise and exposure to the outside world, and shortly before the first decade's anniversary of the fall of the Koopa Kingdom, he passed the crown down to his eldest son, Ludwig Von Koopa, the former ruler of the Twin Bridges area of Dinosaur Land.

As his father slowly deteriorated, Ludwig, the new king, took full control of the Koopa Troop, and, along with his fellow brutish brothers, Morton and Roy, and his only sister, Wendy, he plotted a re-invasion of the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as the then semi-free-range territories of Dinosaur Land. Through Morton's vicious and rigorous training program, the Koopa Troop had grown strong and bloodthirsty, and with Roy's guidance, Ludwig was confident in a victory once an attack was launched. Wendy, serving as further brains alongside Ludwig, had commanded Monty Moles and other lower-ranking Koopa troops to infiltrate the Mushroom Kingdom, in order to monitor the fungi peoples' awareness that an attack was looming in the near future.

Iggy had spent the recent years much as his father had: a genius recluse, he had locked himself in the basement of the castle, slowly developing deadly technology for the Koopas to utilize against the princess and her beautiful kingdom. Under the close supervision of Wendy and Ludwig, the devices were tested in extreme secret, waiting afterward only for the day upon which they would be used against the Mushroom Kingdom.

Lemmy and Larry had grown much quieter than they had been before: they were concerned and tense all the time, and no one else had been able to decipher what was bothering them so terribly. They spent their days out of the paths of their manic brothers and sister, helping, yet not helping to arrange the attack, and staying mostly silent. Larry tended to his father daily, as the youngest, and it seemed that Bowser was well aware of what Lemmy and his brother were up to, though he said nothing to Ludwig or to anyone else about it.

On the day that the problems began, the Koopa Troop was drawing dangerously close to the day of their attack. It was at that point in time that the powers of the Super Mario Brothers came back into play, thereby threatening the very future of the entire Koopa Empire in more ways than one.

* * *

Roy paced anxiously around Wendy's vast bedroom, his brow furrowed, his claws tightly pinching and rubbing at his temple. His sister watched him closely, her blue eyes bored, half-lidded, irritated. He looked closely at her from behind his sunglasses. 

"…Yer sure?" he asked, his voice a low, quiet growl. "Dey killed 'im…yer_ positive?_"

"They told me that they did," Wendy sneered, looking down at her claws half-interestedly. "And then they told me that they chucked his body in the lake. I believe them…they're crazy bastards. And I'm sure the little idiot deserved it, anyway, so what does it matter?"

Roy growled and swore under his breath, clawing at his scaly lips nervously. "…Did ya tell Ludwig…?" he asked, disregarding her rather stupid question.

"Not yet," Wendy replied stiffly. "He's gonna be pissed about it, I think, and I'm really not in the mood to deal with that right now."

"Da Mushroom Kingdom suits're gonna find out soon enough," Roy grumbled, shaking his head. "It'd be better if Ludwig didn't find out about it from dem before he hears about it from us. Ugh…dey'll be all over us…dey'll _know_ it was Goombas dat killed 'im. Wendy…we gotta find dat body and get rid of it in da Valley."

Wendy looked absolutely appalled. "What?!" she demanded. "Are you completely _insane?!_ It'll be even more suspicious if somebody sees two Goombas dragging a mangled Toad out of the lake! I think it's best not to chance it, and to just let the guy float along until he gets to the ocean. I mean…it's not like they're gonna look for him in the _lake_. They're not so morbid."

Roy glared at her in frustration. "…Just tell Ludwig, and do what he says'll be best," he murmured. She snorted and crossed her legs.

"You aren't my superior," she snapped matter-of-factly, and it almost seemed like she should have said _but I'm yours_ afterward. "…And neither is that knuckle-headed brother of ours: Koopa King or not. _I_ only take orders from _Daddy.__ Screw_ what Ludwig thinks."

Roy's eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses. "I like Ludwig bein' King of da Koopas about as much as you do, but Dad chose 'im ta take his place," he said angrily. "We gotta listen ta what he wants. He's smart. Da army's never been dis strong, before. If we follow through for 'im, King Dad's gonna be proud of us beyond what we've ever _dreamed_."

Wendy folded her arms across her chest, her blue eyes sharp and glacial. She didn't say anything, and Roy knew that she was pouting. He was right, though. And all that Wendy wanted was for their father to be proud of her. She would work with Ludwig if it meant getting that, no matter how humiliating it was for her in the meantime. She and Roy stared at each other for a few more seconds, sizing each other up, and Roy grunted under his breath. "I need ta go talk ta Lemmy. You gonna take care o'dis?"

"For cryin' out_ loud_," Wendy murmured, and it let Roy know that she was definitely not going to. He nodded briefly and turned, treading heavily on the stone floor as he left his sister's still-pink bedroom. As the door closed behind him, he heard something smash against the wall, and he scowled a toothy, crooked scowl to himself. Wendy was never, _ever_ going to change.

…The Neon Castle had been rebuilt in the years following Mario and Luigi's attack. It was by no means the same as before, but to Roy and his siblings, it was still home. Roy knew every passageway, every booby trap and fake door. He could navigate it with his eyes closed, and he did essentially this as he made his way to Larry's room, where Lemmy was sure to be, as usual. Roy's head swam with anxious thoughts. As soon as that Toad was discovered to be missing…there would be Yoshis and Mushroom officials swarming everywhere. That was by no means a good thing. Formerly abandoned zones would be flooded with search parties, and there would be nowhere to train in secret anymore. They might even come into the Valley, despite the taboo against it. Roy ground his teeth as his claws closed around the handle of Larry's bedroom door. He could take Toads on, no problem…but…

He let himself into his youngest brother's room. Larry was used to Roy barging in, so he usually left the door unlocked to make things easier for his sibling. The blue-haired youngest looked up from the Bob-omb he was tinkering with on his bed, his brow cocking as Roy's eyes scanned the room from behind his dark glasses. There was Lemmy, leaning casually against the foot of Larry's bed. He perked up when he heard the door slam against the stone wall.

"Roy," Lemmy said, in his weird, high-pitched voice. "…S'matter?" Roy gave Lemmy a look, and the blindfold covering his brother's lazy eyes scrunched on his face. Lemmy was totally blind because of it, but he could always sense when something was wrong. He had been like that since he had been caught under a Thwomp all those years ago…maybe half-retarded, and his left eye had been rendered useless, but he had weird psychic moments like that all the time. Since the Mario Brothers had fought him ten years ago, his right eye was just as useless, and Lemmy was essentially blind, even without the blindfold. Larry murmured under his breath, in that bizarre clicking, glowing language he spoke (that everyone had thought, at first, that he had made up), and Lemmy turned his head toward Larry, who was frowning.

"Some of da Goombas killed a Toad dis morning," Roy said. "We need ta find da body. Dey chucked it in Donut Lake, and if da Mushroom Kingdom drones find it, we're dead. We gotta find it and burn it, or somethin'."

Lemmy appeared to think for a moment. "…They're gonna 'spect us, anyways. Don't matter."

"Better dey 'spect dan know fer sure," Roy growled. Larry dropped the Bob-omb and looked thoughtfully at Lemmy, who appeared to stare back. Roy grunted. "Wendy ain't gonna do her job. You guys gotta go find it."

Larry hissed softly, and Lemmy tensed. "…Larry wants to know what Ludwig says," Lemmy said. Roy clenched his teeth.

"I dunno…but my guess is dat he'll probably want it outta da way!" Roy snarled. "Can't anybody just take orders from me anymore?! I'm third-in-command, in case ya haven't noticed!"

"We'll go if Ludwig says so," Lemmy sighed, leaning his head back against the bed. Roy stared, in almost absolute disbelief. Where was his authority?! This was a very crucial situation: one that could mean the life or death of the Koopa empire…! Larry grunted. "…Roy…if you see Morton," Lemmy said, "…tell 'im Iggy's lookin' for'm."

Roy glared. "I ain't no messenger!" he snapped, turning and storming from the room. What fools they were! If they wouldn't do it…he felt a vein bulge in his neck. He would have to find the body_ himself_ and dispose of it. How disgraceful…doing a Goomba's work. But the Goombas would only obey Morton…and although Morton usually had some small degree of sense in his head, he was likely to agree with the others and be hesitant until he knew Ludwig's opinion on the matter. Roy's fists clenched at his sides.

Iggy would have to lend him the Clown Car.

* * *

Outside of the Valley of Bowser, Roy had to admit, Dinosaur Land was quite startlingly beautiful. The sky was shining a clear, nearly impossible shade of blue, the water clean and transparent, and the leaves and grass shimmered like emeralds in the sun. The earth was rich and deep, almost black beneath grass, unlike the gray, sandy dirt of the Valley. Fruit grew, here, and animals thrived. He navigated the Forest of Illusion, and he couldn't help but to enjoy the sights that he remembered dimly from all those years ago, when he had once been in charge of this area. He never saw anything like this when he was cooped up at home. 

It was a long way to the lake that the Goombas had apparently tossed the Toad into, and Roy had to be sure to stay low and move fast, so as not to be seen. It was quite difficult, as the Clown Car was very conspicuous: both brightly-colored and noisy. Roy glanced half-consciously at the crater in the Twin Bridges mountainside as he flew past it, perhaps remembering the ordeal that his family had faced a decade ago.

His mind froze when he realized what he was seeing. Would…_they_…come back, he wondered? Would they lead the troops of the Mushroom Kingdom? There was sure to be a resistance…led by only the most powerful people…Roy was ashamed when he shuddered. If there was anything in the world that he was afraid of, it was letting his father down again by losing in war to _them_ a second time. He hadn't faced them in ten years, though. And humans aged faster than Koopas did.…But would that be enough? Would the Super Mario Brothers really be super no more…?

The great lake of Donut Plains was as calm and beautiful as the rest of the water of Dinosaur Land, though the sun seemed to shine with more passion upon the ground surrounding it. Roy skirted over the surface of the lake and dunked his massive paws greedily into it, cupping them and bringing sugar-sweet water to his cracked lips. Water so clean was a delicacy to a Koopaling. Unfettered by the thought of the dead Toad that was most likely sunk to the bottom of the lake, Roy drew more water to his tongue and drank it thirstily, basking in the beauty of the land. Morton had been blessed, in every sense, when their father had sent him to invade Donut Plains. A place more the opposite of the Valley could not have existed anywhere.

Roy pulled back, and the Clown Car slowed, sputtering as he maneuvered it into the sanctity of a small clearing in the trees beside the lake. He hopped out of the vehicle and raised one scaly hand to his brow, further shielding himself from the sun. Donut River was in the distance, flowing merrily into the lake. He swore under his breath. Wendy was an idiot…the river wouldn't carry the body to the ocean…! His lips pulled back over his teeth in anger. Roy took his sunglasses off irritably and, after scanning the shore of the lake and seeing nothing, he dove in with surprising grace.

The water was cool and comforting to Roy's cracked and dry skin. He swam expertly, scanning the waters with keen eyes for spots of alien white and red. Fish swam unnoticed around Roy as he dove deeper, the pressure aching in his temples. He tensed his jaw and squinted, looking through the darker water until he saw sand at the bottom. Water weeds and bigger fish swayed mindlessly in the gentle current. There was no sign of a Toad anywhere, though. His lungs choked once, and he let out a few bubbles through his nose. He _had_ to find the Toad. The Mario Brothers would be scouring the lake, Roy knew, no matter what Wendy thought. They would be the first to suspect an attack by the Koopa army, and they wouldn't rest until they found evidence. Roy's skull ached as he touched the bottom of the lake, digging his feet into wet sand that kicked up clouds around him when he turned. More bubbles dribbled out of his nose, and there, out closer to the mouth of the river (he could see it nearer to the surface of the lake), was a mushroom-spotted hat. His prey had been spotted.

Roy bolted out of his anchoring place and sped toward the dead Toad, his head beginning to spin. He could make it there and back to the surface without drowning, though. He knew. His claws scraped against rock, and he dug his fist into the Toad's torn vest, barely glancing at the deep, open bite wounds on the boy's belly: wounds that were still leaking blood. Pressing hard into the rock face, Roy kicked off and shot toward the surface of the lake.

He gasped only for a moment once he broke the barrier, gathering himself and pulling his rather heavy dead-weight charge with him toward the shore that he had embarked from. He would take the body with him back in the Clown Car, he thought vaguely, and incinerate it once he returned to the castle. Things would be taken care of. His father would be proud of him for taking responsibility…!

The dirt on the shore soaked up water from Roy's feet. Shivering and shaking, trying not to allow his teeth to chatter, Roy glanced around quickly to see if he had any company, then carefully hid his companion in the shade of a large boulder. Climbing the boulder somewhat irritably, he crawled out of his wet shell and settled his damp, cold body on the warm surface of the rock. He could take a few moments to warm up, he thought half-consciously, breathing deep the smell of moss on the rock. There was no moss in the Valley, he thought. Only dead cacti and cave mushrooms. It was a nice, unfamiliar smell. Sweet, almost.

The sun was glorious, here. He stretched and basked in it, feeling his blood absorbing heat. And it was so warm that he felt the urge to fall asleep. How long had it been, he wondered, since he had slept in sunshine? Since he had been warm when dozing off? He couldn't remember. But…and his teeth clenched at that…he had to get back to the Neon Castle. Every second that he was out, exposed like this, increased the odds that someone unwelcome would come across him. He dragged his claws over the boulder and arched his back into the light, breathing angry breaths out hard through his nose. Why did those Mushroom freaks deserve to enjoy this beauty every day, he thought malevolently, while he and his siblings toiled in the cold darkness of the Valley?! They _didn't_, was the answer. They didn't deserve any of it.

Which was why Ludwig was waiting for the most opportune moment to attack. They couldn't afford to let Dinosaur Land slip through their fingers again. The Valley had no resources to speak of, and there was no way that any further generations of Koopas could survive there. They needed to spread out, and if the Mushroom Kingdom didn't like that, then there would be a war. None of the Koopalings had a problem with fighting. They'd been doing it their whole lives. Roy frowned bitterly as he slid back into his shell. The only problem with that was…his siblings' shared fear of the Mario Brothers. Would they be able to fight them, at all, when the moment came? Or would they all fall miserably before the brothers' power, as they had ten years ago…?

Roy stood atop the boulder and pressed his sunglasses into his face, growling and swearing under his breath. He absolutely despised thinking about this, but it was all that he seemed to do, lately. Remember his horrible, shameful defeat. He, the strongest of _all_ the Koopalings. He slid down from the rock and snatched the Toad up roughly from the dirt, slinging him over his shoulder and marching angrily over to the clearing where he had abandoned the Clown Car. Wendy and Lemmy would be getting one hell of an earful when—

He stopped and his fist clenched tighter around the vest of the Toad. His beady eyes scoured the shrubbery around him, searching for the source of the noise. The foliage rustled again and he took an offensive stance, not dropping his charge. He bared his teeth and flexed, his heard thudding in his chest. "…Come on, then," he snarled. "I'm ready…" Roy's eyes widened when a round, green snout and huge, stupid eyes poked out of the bushes. The Yoshi gaped at him, and he faltered, startled.

"…Koopaling," it murmured, its bulging eyes fixated on the limp corpse in Roy's fist. "…Koopaling kill Toad! Oh, Yoshi run…!" Just as quickly as it had appeared, the Yoshi's head disappeared into the bushes, and it was gone. Roy, no longer dazed, leapt forward a moment later and dove out of the clearing after the Yoshi. It was nowhere to be found, already speeding off to the Mushroom Kingdom to report what it had seen.

Roy's eyes bugged in his head, and he tossed the Toad into the Clown Car, scratching, frustrated, at his lips. He was in so deep, now…he had to tell Ludwig that he had been seen. But there would be Hell to pay. Not that he was _afraid_ of Ludwig or anything, but…Roy snarled and took off in the Clown Car. For now, the important thing was burning the evidence.

Who would believe a stupid Yoshi crying "murder!", anyway?!


	2. A Problem

Chapter two...finally. I honestly only need to type this up, but I'm lazy. Sorry!

This whole story will be around thirteen chapters once it's done. Don't forget to review!

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**Chapter Two**

The Mushroom Kingdom had thrived and flourished in the years since Bowser's defeat. The King, Peach's father, had since passed peacefully on, and the fair Princess Peach Toadstool had inherited the throne. Backed by her royal court of Toads, she had transitioned into the position of Queen quite nicely. And, about three years ago, she and a certain plumber from Brooklyn had tied the knot. The people of the kingdom were overjoyed: the Mushroom Kingdom had never been so safe, nor so powerful. With Mario as their king, they felt security like never before. And their queen was so happy! It was all that the people had ever wanted for their homeland.

Without the threat of an attack by the Koopa Troop, people's memories of the horrible invasion a decade before had faded, and children of this generation didn't fear the Koopas. Stories were told about the bravery of the king and his brother, and the two of them were idolized. Everyone was anxiously awaiting the day that Toadstool would announce the inevitable birth of a child to carry on the great heroes' bloodline. So long as the legacy of the Mario Brothers lived on, so would the Mushroom Kingdom.

Of course, in that sense, people had their eyes on the younger brother of the king, as well. He too carried the superior genes that were expected to guard the kingdom in the years to come. He, however, seemed much more of a hopeless case. Although many women adored him and had tried to win his heart, Luigi appeared convinced that no one was the right one for him. So he had been somewhat pushed into the background as years had gone by, though whenever an heir was mentioned, prying eyes focused on Mario's bachelor brother, as well as on the king and queen.

Mario and Toadstool were, of course, naturally concerned for Luigi. With their ties to new, foreign lands, they had introduced Luigi to other princesses (all whom had been quite fond of him), but he still had refused each and every one of them. He had become weary, and had moved out of the castle and into a small cottage amongst the general population, just so that he could remove himself from the public eye as much as possible. Luigi lived alone in his house, save a Yoshi that he had adopted many years ago. It was a quiet place, on the outskirts of the small town a few miles from the Mushroom Castle, and Luigi liked it for that reason. Without any reason to go off adventuring, he had settled down very easily, and at that point, he would have very much enjoyed living there on his own for the rest of his life.

…The week so far had been relatively quiet. The weather had been nice: sunny and calm, the kind of weather that Luigi liked best. Today, he was outside, enjoying it as best he could before Mario and Toadstool paid their weekly visit and he had to invite them inside. Stretched out in the grass, Luigi sighed. It wasn't that he didn't love his brother or Toadstool…he just wanted to enjoy some time alone, for once, where he didn't have to worry about the pressures of keeping his house suitable for company. And holidays…holidays were Hell, when they weren't spent at the castle. Mario could still eat like a garbage disposal, and all that did was create dozens of dishes for Luigi to wash. He rolled over and pressed his face into the cool grass. Hopefully Yoshi would come home soon. He could, at least, help to distract Mario and Toadstool from how exhausted Luigi was feeling, and how unwilling to have company he was. He closed his eyes. _Maybe Mario will get caught up in something_, he thought. _Maybe they won't be able to visit today…?_

"What're you doin' in the grass, little brother?" asked a hearty, all-too-familiar voice. Luigi sank inside, but forced it back up as he sat and grinned at his brother and his sister-in-law. Toadstool smiled warmly at him, and Mario chuckled, reaching down to help Luigi to his feet. Mario hadn't changed much at all in the past ten years: he still had a round stomach and a cheerful face, and the trademark moustache that both brothers shared. His eyes were bright and sparkling, and aside from being slightly balder under his cap, Mario was just the same (albeit in nicer clothes). Toadstool was just as beautiful as ever, with flowing blonde hair and a well-fitting pink dress. Her face lit up when she smiled, showing no signs whatsoever of aging.

Luigi, on the other hand, looked as if he might have been older than Mario, now. He had grown even thinner in recent years, and frown lines had begun to mar his face. His gray-blue eyes were dull and sad, and gray hair had touched his temples. He forced a smile, though, and brushed himself off, leading his guests inside. They remained at ease as he went to get them drinks, and he sighed in relief, praying that Yoshi would come home soon to draw their attention further away from him. Luigi brought them their cold drinks and sat in the chair opposite his old sofa, being careful not to look at the two of them if he could help it. Mario sighed loudly.

"So, Luigi…how've things been?" he asked in a loud, purposeful voice. Luigi shrugged.

"They've been alright," he replied, and although he was smiling, his voice betrayed his reluctance to speak. "Ahh…Yoshi and I have been doing pretty good…I'm thinking of planting something in the yard this spring…maybe a vegetable garden…or something…" He swirled his drink in its glass and looked down into it, as if deep in thought. In reality, he was just trying to think of something—_anything_—else to say. "…I dunno…been thinking about taking a vacation…"

Mario's impressive eyebrows shot up under his cap. "A vacation?" he asked, as if to point out that Luigi had absolutely no one to vacation _with._ He exchanged a glance with Toadstool before leaning forward and looking hard into his younger brother's face. "…Luigi…are you_ sure_ that everything's okay…?"

Luigi sighed heavily, feeling the doubt in Mario's gaze. "…Mario…" he murmured, shaking his head. "I'm fine! You need to stop worrying so much about me. I just like things quiet, that's all." Toadstool looked at him thoughtfully, her mouth pulled down into an uncertain expression. He took a long swig of his drink to delay the need to say anything else, wishing that he could just fall asleep until he felt better. He always got upset when anyone came to visit, but whether it was the thought of the impending _you should really start dating_ talk, or just a general dislike of company, Luigi had no idea. He started when a small, slender, gloved hand reached out and touched his knee.

"…Luigi," Toadstool said, her voice like a soft song. "You can tell us if you're not feeling well. And…if you'd like us to leave—?"

"Please…yes," Luigi mumbled, without even realizing it, at first. He lowered his head into his hands when he realized what he had said, and he felt his companions' sad eyes upon him. Mario's brow furrowed.

"…Luigi…this isn't like you," he said, his voice flooded with concern. Luigi shook his head.

"Mario…I just don't wanna talk about it…" he sighed. Mario and Toadstool looked worriedly at each other, and Toadstool's hand left Luigi's knee. A long, uncomfortable silence passed between them, and Luigi imagined himself curled up under a rock, slowly but surely disappearing. He didn't want to hurt anyone…he just wanted to be left alone…

Mario sighed deeply and shook his head. "…Fine. Let's go, Peach," he murmured. Taking his wife's hand, the two of them rose from the couch and showed themselves out, with Toadstool casting one final, sad glance at Luigi. He grunted and massaged his temples when the door had closed, feeling a lump aching in his throat.

_…What's wrong with me…?_

He started when something slammed into the back door, and he jumped to his feet, his wide eyes fixated on the restlessly shaking doorknob. He relaxed when Yoshi found his way in, but his brow furrowed in concern when he saw the anxious look on the dinosaur's face. Yoshi closed the door and stared at Luigi, obviously troubled. "Yoshi!" Luigi said, baffled. "What's the matter?"

"Koopaling!" Yoshi gasped, blinking his huge eyes. "In Donut Plains! Koopaling kill Toad!"

Luigi's eyes boggled. Had he really heard Yoshi right…? "…W-what?!" he choked in disbelief. Yoshi's mouth opened and closed like a fish's a few times before he repeated what he had just said.

"Big, tough Koopaling, with pink shell and sunglasses!" Yoshi added. "He have Toad, all torn up…Luigi, we gotta tell Mario!" Luigi's head was spinning. This was _not_ how he had planned to spend today. But he nodded slowly in agreement, registering how serious this was, and he ran for the front door. He threw it open and was relieved when he saw that Mario and Toadstool were still in sight.

"Mario!" he shouted. "Queen Toadstool! Wait, please!" he ran for them as quickly as he could, and they turned around, puzzled, when they heard his voice. They looked even more confused when they saw him running at full speed toward them. Luigi skidded to a halt and looked intently at Toadstool. "Queen…have you missed any Toads today?"

Toadstool, confused by his question, looked thoughtful for a moment, then her eyes widened in odd realization. "Why…yes, in fact…Mario, one of the guards was absent from his post this morning! Why, Luigi? What is it?"

Luigi pursed his lips. "…Yoshi just came home. Apparently, he saw Roy Koopa dragging your Toad off from Donut Lake, dead."

Toadstool's hands rose to her mouth in shock, and Mario's hands clenched to fists, his lips pulling back in a snarl. "Roy Koopa?!" he echoed. "That bastard…Peach, I have to do something about this…!"

"Mario, what are we gonna do?" Luigi asked wearily. "If we launch any kind of attack, we'll get caught up in some war we can't afford to fight!"

"We can take 'em on, Luigi!" Mario growled. "We can take 'em down like we did before! We—"

"You're ten years older," Toadstool murmured, staring solemnly at the ground. "And the Koopalings are, too. They were only children when you fought them last, Mario…you can't take on seven Bowsers at once…" Mario looked taken aback by Toadstool's cruel honesty, and his shock slowly gave way to hurt. Suddenly, the bright, cheerful afternoon seemed a whole lot gloomier. Luigi's shoulders drooped even more.

"…But Mario's right, Toadstool," he mumbled, wringing his hands. "We can't just let this slide. Roy will get cocky, you know how he is…soon he'll be coming into villages…"

Toadstool raised her hands nervously, and there was quiet for a moment. "…I won't have either of you running into the Valley and slaughtering Koopas left and right. If you swear to control yourselves…you may take guides to the Neon Castle to…speak with Roy, or better yet, with Bowser himself."

"Speak with him?!" Mario gaped. "He won't listen! Peach…are you crazy?!"

"They've been docile for all these years, Mario," Toadstool said quietly, regaining her composure. "I'm certain…they'll be willing to negotiate…" Mario stared at her, but Luigi felt a burst of fire deep within his chest. He straightened his shoulders and looked hard at the queen and king of the Mushroom Kingdom.

"…I'll go," Luigi said, startling them both into looking at him. "I'll go alone. The King shouldn't be going into potentially dangerous territory, anyways! I can take Yoshi…we'll be alright…I know the way!"

"Luigi," Mario said, his face lined and sad. Luigi looked at him and saw, for the first time, some signs of aging in his brother's face: gray hairs at his temples, speckling his moustache. Crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. He truly was the elder. Toadstool grasped Luigi's hand, and he turned to her.

"…You're certain…? Luigi…please, take along a few feathers…and fire flowers…just in case…" Her voice was so wary it almost scared him. He squeezed her hand affectionately, and managed a genuine smile.

"Hey," he chuckled, "I will. Don't worry. I might not be so young anymore, but I can still put up a fight!"

Toadstool gazed into his eyes for a few moments, searching for and finding the honesty within them. She looked afraid, though. Very afraid. "…Do you promise…that you'll come back alive…?" she whispered.

The world was grimly silent, but Luigi still felt stronger.


End file.
